That's right friends, it's been 6 months. But i think it's been 6 of the best months of my life at the same time. Even bigger sad day b/c I haven't been writing all this awesomeness down.
My Dilly is now 14 months and such a little boy! He's still my sweet cuddly man, but he's becoming more independent, rowdy, and loud! It's so crazy to feel like more of a parent each day. It's just so crazy how God grows you as a parent as they grow as children. Ryan and I are having to come up with our plan of action for disciplining and guidance daily. You think you have talked about this stuff, but then when its actually there, it's different!
Ryan and I are doing great as well. I'm so thankful that we have a marriage that we know is constantly in the works. Complacency is not ok; we always want to improve it and make it more God-honoring. And adding a child to the mix is definitely a sanctifying experience to say the least!
As I write this, my husband is about to wake up in Kenya! He's with Lost Orphans International, an organization that his dad is on the board of and his former youth pastor is the president of. He is there with both his dad and former youth pastor as well as my cousin's husband, Derek. I'm so proud of him! When we got married, I had been on some sort of mission trip every year that I was in college at A&M. Two of those trips were overseas. I have a heart for missions. But my husband did not. He was always supportive and open to it, but just hadn't got the "bug" yet. He does now! How fun to see where God takes us next.
I've been working part time at the private practice still and I'm very much enjoying that. It's so nice to be a "stay at home mom" but still have another job outside the home as well.
I've been losing weight lately b/c we are in my brother-in-law's wedding in Hawaii next month and I would like to feel a little bit better about myself and all this "winter weight." I've been doing mostly South Beach diet, and have been successful and feel so much better. When I eat sugar and carbs now, I get grossed out. We will see how long this lasts! But so far so good. I just needed something to jump start me into eating better. I've been cooking a lot of yummy stuff at home and feel full a lot now. Crazy.
that's all I've got for now. Oh, except for my main "Shift" button does not work on my old laptop much anymore and so that's why I sometimes miss a Capitalization every now and then. I'm sure you were wondering.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Friday, August 19, 2011
7 months
Dylan finished growing that pesky 4th tooth (still with the top teeth) and was fussy about it as he turned 7 months.
He was so quick to go from laying down to sitting, and was all over the place crawling. Right before his 8th month birthday, he decided he would try out real crawling when going short distances. He was capable of doing this for a while, but just never really wanted to I guess. He was going strong for a few days, and then decided he still liked the army crawl again. Whatever child! He'll do the real motion when he wants I guess!
Pulling up and standing up on everything became his new favorite thing to do as well. He was so proud of himself, and we were too!
Dylan really enjoyed trying new foods this month...especially finger foods! We started with puffs and moved to some crackers, bits of sweet potatoes, squash, of course Cheerios, and some bananas. He was so proud of himself and liked to mimic Mommy when he saw her putting stuff in her mouth.
Dylan was wearing 9month and 6-12 month clothes a lot up until this month. Many of his clothes were a little tight! But he stretched them out a little bit as he went along. He has also continued to wear size 4 diapers (Huggies Little Movers) since about 4 months I believe! How crazy is that!?
Bath time was still one of his favorite things to do. He loved spending extra time in his whale tub splashing, kicking, and playing with his washcloth, cup, and toys. We still use Burts Bees shampoo & baby wash and I absolutely adore the way it makes him smell!
Dylan kept on talking and would babble a "mama" or "dada" in there occasionally, but definitely not on purpose. But on Saturday August 13, 2011, Dylan started saying Mama! Yay!!! I didn't even force it on him. I would say both mama and dada when he would get close to saying one or the other. But it's funny because he sometimes didn't want to say it for days at a time after that. But then another day he will say it again and again! He's a funny talker.
I
He was so quick to go from laying down to sitting, and was all over the place crawling. Right before his 8th month birthday, he decided he would try out real crawling when going short distances. He was capable of doing this for a while, but just never really wanted to I guess. He was going strong for a few days, and then decided he still liked the army crawl again. Whatever child! He'll do the real motion when he wants I guess!
Pulling up and standing up on everything became his new favorite thing to do as well. He was so proud of himself, and we were too!
Dylan really enjoyed trying new foods this month...especially finger foods! We started with puffs and moved to some crackers, bits of sweet potatoes, squash, of course Cheerios, and some bananas. He was so proud of himself and liked to mimic Mommy when he saw her putting stuff in her mouth.
Dylan was wearing 9month and 6-12 month clothes a lot up until this month. Many of his clothes were a little tight! But he stretched them out a little bit as he went along. He has also continued to wear size 4 diapers (Huggies Little Movers) since about 4 months I believe! How crazy is that!?
Bath time was still one of his favorite things to do. He loved spending extra time in his whale tub splashing, kicking, and playing with his washcloth, cup, and toys. We still use Burts Bees shampoo & baby wash and I absolutely adore the way it makes him smell!
Dylan kept on talking and would babble a "mama" or "dada" in there occasionally, but definitely not on purpose. But on Saturday August 13, 2011, Dylan started saying Mama! Yay!!! I didn't even force it on him. I would say both mama and dada when he would get close to saying one or the other. But it's funny because he sometimes didn't want to say it for days at a time after that. But then another day he will say it again and again! He's a funny talker.
I
6 months!
At 6 months Dylan got his top front teeth (his 3rd and 4th teeth), and handled it a little better than the first two!
Breastfeeding was still going strong and we dropped to 4 feedings a day (7am, 11am, 3pm, and 7pm). We began introducing more solid foods to his diet, but still primarily homemade purees. He really started to like the sweet potato, squash, and zucchini I made for him and by the end of the month, he was opening up his mouth on his own (we didn't have to coax him and he didn't make a horrible face b/c of the texture each time)!
Besides during teething, he began sleeping a solid 12 hours per night (7pm to 7am), but would sometimes wake up within the first few hours of going to sleep and would need to be comforted a short bit due to his new separation anxiety. Mommy quickly became the favorite to come in at night. He wouldn't require much, just a quick pick up and pat, and lay right back down. I really didn't mind because it meant that I got to snuggle with my little love bug one more time before I went to bed!
This month he also started to make his pouty face. So adorable/sad. Like I said before, he would have a little separation anxiety at night, but never had a problem being held by another person or left alone with family while I worked.
Dylan was able to fully sit (unassisted) at the beginning of the month and was going from the laying down to sitting up position very well. He had started pulling himself up on people at the end of the previous month, and so as soon as he learned to go to the sitting position in his crib, he decided to pull himself up on the crib one morning! Eek! His crib had still been in the highest position up until that point, so we quickly lowered it to the next setting. And about one week later, we decided he had to have the crib dropped all the way down since he's so strong with his upper body!
He also started (army) crawling at the end of this month! He was making all the motions before, but never all at the same time to complete a full crawl. He was so strong with his little arms pulling himself along everywhere!
Dylan loved babbling more this month and the "B" sound was a big deal. He loved to purse his lips and make bubbles with his mouth too.
Breastfeeding was still going strong and we dropped to 4 feedings a day (7am, 11am, 3pm, and 7pm). We began introducing more solid foods to his diet, but still primarily homemade purees. He really started to like the sweet potato, squash, and zucchini I made for him and by the end of the month, he was opening up his mouth on his own (we didn't have to coax him and he didn't make a horrible face b/c of the texture each time)!
Besides during teething, he began sleeping a solid 12 hours per night (7pm to 7am), but would sometimes wake up within the first few hours of going to sleep and would need to be comforted a short bit due to his new separation anxiety. Mommy quickly became the favorite to come in at night. He wouldn't require much, just a quick pick up and pat, and lay right back down. I really didn't mind because it meant that I got to snuggle with my little love bug one more time before I went to bed!
This month he also started to make his pouty face. So adorable/sad. Like I said before, he would have a little separation anxiety at night, but never had a problem being held by another person or left alone with family while I worked.
Dylan was able to fully sit (unassisted) at the beginning of the month and was going from the laying down to sitting up position very well. He had started pulling himself up on people at the end of the previous month, and so as soon as he learned to go to the sitting position in his crib, he decided to pull himself up on the crib one morning! Eek! His crib had still been in the highest position up until that point, so we quickly lowered it to the next setting. And about one week later, we decided he had to have the crib dropped all the way down since he's so strong with his upper body!
He also started (army) crawling at the end of this month! He was making all the motions before, but never all at the same time to complete a full crawl. He was so strong with his little arms pulling himself along everywhere!
Dylan loved babbling more this month and the "B" sound was a big deal. He loved to purse his lips and make bubbles with his mouth too.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Baby Products I Love: Teething Edition
For a while I've been wanting to write some Blog posts about my favorite baby products...ones that make my life easier...but I just keep forgetting (that's why I call myself "the blogger slacker").
But here's some products that are lifesavers right now with Dylan's teething:
Muchkin's Fresh Food Teether
I can put the long (normal sized) ice cubes in there and Dylan will suck and gum on it for a long time. There's another mesh feeder that's out there by Sassy brand; it's the same concept but is horrible and doesn't hold a normal ice cube, so make sure you get the Munchkin brand. I bought mine at Target, but I also saw them at Buy Buy Baby (I couldn't find it at BRU). You are also supposed to be able to put foods like avocado, strawberries, and other things that can strain through for baby to "safely" ingest as they gnaw on the bag. We have used it for avocado and it has worked well.
Another favorite is the Munchkin Fun Ice Chewy Teether. They are filled with a safe gel and you can freeze them so that they stay cool longer. Water filled teethers are for the birds. They stay cold for .5 seconds and many say not to freeze them. Don't waste your time. These are the best. And they come in fun hand and foot shapes. Dylan likes them after they are out of the freezer for a few minutes...they soften up but retain their cool for a while. We attach them to rings so it's easier to keep track of them. Get two so that you can have one in the freezer while they are gnawing on the other!
I think we're going to try the baltic amber necklace or anklet (most likely anklet) to see if that helps manage teething pain. I'm still skeptical, but I'll let you know if we try it and think it works.
But here's some products that are lifesavers right now with Dylan's teething:
Muchkin's Fresh Food Teether
I can put the long (normal sized) ice cubes in there and Dylan will suck and gum on it for a long time. There's another mesh feeder that's out there by Sassy brand; it's the same concept but is horrible and doesn't hold a normal ice cube, so make sure you get the Munchkin brand. I bought mine at Target, but I also saw them at Buy Buy Baby (I couldn't find it at BRU). You are also supposed to be able to put foods like avocado, strawberries, and other things that can strain through for baby to "safely" ingest as they gnaw on the bag. We have used it for avocado and it has worked well.
Another favorite is the Munchkin Fun Ice Chewy Teether. They are filled with a safe gel and you can freeze them so that they stay cool longer. Water filled teethers are for the birds. They stay cold for .5 seconds and many say not to freeze them. Don't waste your time. These are the best. And they come in fun hand and foot shapes. Dylan likes them after they are out of the freezer for a few minutes...they soften up but retain their cool for a while. We attach them to rings so it's easier to keep track of them. Get two so that you can have one in the freezer while they are gnawing on the other!
I think we're going to try the baltic amber necklace or anklet (most likely anklet) to see if that helps manage teething pain. I'm still skeptical, but I'll let you know if we try it and think it works.
Lazy crawler
Here's a little (long) video of Dylan using his new skills yesterday.
He's been crawling like this for a few weeks and is generally a lot faster than this,
(he was tired from crawling around so much already)
(he was tired from crawling around so much already)
but I just thought this one was funny b/c he was messing with Duke
and Duke was just taking it like a champ
and Duke was just taking it like a champ
(love that dog).
He's starting to make movements on all 4's,
but doesn't really see the need
considering his upper body is so incredibly strong
considering his upper body is so incredibly strong
and he can get around pretty effectively like this.
ENJOY!
5 months old
Again, better late than never! Pictures to come later.
Here's some things Dylan was doing at 5 months: He got both front teeth on the bottom cut through finally. Teething was quite the nightmare. He was waking up frequently from the pain at night and wanted to nurse to soothe himself.
The congestion he produced while teething turned into his second cold. More sleepless nights and fussiness. Then he hit a growth spurt which made him extra tired, hungry, and fussy. Ugh. It was all back to back!!
Like I mentioned previously, his sleep patterns were really off during this time. I was still having trouble breaking him of his 4am feeding, but by the end of the month, he was done with it (after a couple of nights of crying it out! Ugh!)
Dylan got so strong...Reaching with his hands and body for people and things.
I made some homemade green beans and he wasn't so sure about them. The texture weirded him out and he didn't seem to enjoy the taste much either! It was a start! He later ate some avocados in those mesh bags. He liked them ok.
Sleeping on his tummy was his new favorite thing. Since he could roll both ways now, it didn't worry me. Thankfully he started loving to play on his tummy on his own. No more forcing a fussy tummy time...this baby wanted to be tummy down!
It was fun because he started sitting up with assistance and then quickly began sitting up unassisted. He would sit there surrounded by his new big boy toys and have his own little play station.
Here's some things Dylan was doing at 5 months: He got both front teeth on the bottom cut through finally. Teething was quite the nightmare. He was waking up frequently from the pain at night and wanted to nurse to soothe himself.
The congestion he produced while teething turned into his second cold. More sleepless nights and fussiness. Then he hit a growth spurt which made him extra tired, hungry, and fussy. Ugh. It was all back to back!!
Like I mentioned previously, his sleep patterns were really off during this time. I was still having trouble breaking him of his 4am feeding, but by the end of the month, he was done with it (after a couple of nights of crying it out! Ugh!)
Dylan got so strong...Reaching with his hands and body for people and things.
I made some homemade green beans and he wasn't so sure about them. The texture weirded him out and he didn't seem to enjoy the taste much either! It was a start! He later ate some avocados in those mesh bags. He liked them ok.
Sleeping on his tummy was his new favorite thing. Since he could roll both ways now, it didn't worry me. Thankfully he started loving to play on his tummy on his own. No more forcing a fussy tummy time...this baby wanted to be tummy down!
It was fun because he started sitting up with assistance and then quickly began sitting up unassisted. He would sit there surrounded by his new big boy toys and have his own little play station.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
She's Baacckkk...
Aunt Flo that is. She's a B.
Ughh. It's been almost a year and a half since I've had my period and I've enjoyed every minute of it. During my pregnancy, I thought to myself, "Hmm, which is worse: the pain of having a period nine times or pregnancy pains for nine months?" I decided period pain was worse and I agree with my decision even now. (I will say that this might have to do with the fact that my pregnancy was likely easier than many...even though I was nauseous for almost 12 weeks straight at the beginning.)
You see with pregnancy, you know that bodily changes and pains are for a good reason. You can actually feel the baby moving around inside of you the majority of the time and so everything you're going through is for them and "worth it." Now with period pain, there isn't that motivation.
The day before my period started this week (or crept up on me rather), I turned into a monster. Nothing could satisfy my ravenous hunger. I ate half a box of freakin' Double Stuft Oreos people....still hungry. I could not manage to get along with my sweet love bug of a husband. Not a single nice thing would come from my mouth, however hard I tried. "What the heck is wrong with me?," I thought to myself. Stupid ridiculous periodness did not enter my brain of possible reasons for this monster swelling up inside. Ugh.
So, I'm seriously considering the option of creating another child in order to avoid having to endure this burden for another year and a half or so. I'm only half joking. My friend Anna has a 9 month old and just found out that she is pregnant (she wanted to get preggers) and I got a twinge of jealousy and excitement. Maybe it's the hormones making me bonkers.
Let me know what you think out there mommies. Period pain or pregnancy pain? Hope yall are doing well!
Ughh. It's been almost a year and a half since I've had my period and I've enjoyed every minute of it. During my pregnancy, I thought to myself, "Hmm, which is worse: the pain of having a period nine times or pregnancy pains for nine months?" I decided period pain was worse and I agree with my decision even now. (I will say that this might have to do with the fact that my pregnancy was likely easier than many...even though I was nauseous for almost 12 weeks straight at the beginning.)
You see with pregnancy, you know that bodily changes and pains are for a good reason. You can actually feel the baby moving around inside of you the majority of the time and so everything you're going through is for them and "worth it." Now with period pain, there isn't that motivation.
The day before my period started this week (or crept up on me rather), I turned into a monster. Nothing could satisfy my ravenous hunger. I ate half a box of freakin' Double Stuft Oreos people....still hungry. I could not manage to get along with my sweet love bug of a husband. Not a single nice thing would come from my mouth, however hard I tried. "What the heck is wrong with me?," I thought to myself. Stupid ridiculous periodness did not enter my brain of possible reasons for this monster swelling up inside. Ugh.
So, I'm seriously considering the option of creating another child in order to avoid having to endure this burden for another year and a half or so. I'm only half joking. My friend Anna has a 9 month old and just found out that she is pregnant (she wanted to get preggers) and I got a twinge of jealousy and excitement. Maybe it's the hormones making me bonkers.
Let me know what you think out there mommies. Period pain or pregnancy pain? Hope yall are doing well!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Backyardigans
Yes, I love Backyardigans, especially their sweet dance moves. I really hope it stays around until Dylan cares to watch it. But that's not what this blog post is about...
...it's about how every evening around 5:30, Dylan "turns into a pumpkin" as I like to say, and we have to have a change of scenery to keep the fussies away. So we come out back and sit on the deck under our shade tree and listen to the birds, bugs, trees, and other fun noises and watch Duke play (aka walk around). Sometimes we talk, but most of the time we just sit and take in all of God's great creation that exists between our back door and our fence.
Also, Dylan usually pets Duke and they exchange kisses (though they can do this inside as well since Duke is an inside dog). Usually they don't kiss at the same time though. I caught this great moment tonight...
...it's about how every evening around 5:30, Dylan "turns into a pumpkin" as I like to say, and we have to have a change of scenery to keep the fussies away. So we come out back and sit on the deck under our shade tree and listen to the birds, bugs, trees, and other fun noises and watch Duke play (aka walk around). Sometimes we talk, but most of the time we just sit and take in all of God's great creation that exists between our back door and our fence.
Also, Dylan usually pets Duke and they exchange kisses (though they can do this inside as well since Duke is an inside dog). Usually they don't kiss at the same time though. I caught this great moment tonight...
Oopsie daisy!!
Love my boys!!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
4 months old
I can't believe how behind I am on blogging about Dylan! I'm such a blogger slacker!
But today at Mommy & Me swim class, some girls were talking about blogging and it got me thinking about how much I missed it and how much encouragement I have been missing by not getting online and following my boggy friends out there! So please forgive me.
With that being said, I'm not going to be able to remember much about his 4th month b/c I didn't write any of it down. Now I have an ongoing monthly list in my iPhone that I use to jot down any new stuff he does so I don't forget to blog about it. I've said it before and I'll say it again: my blog is more of a journal for myself than for anyone else. And I would love to print it someday but have no idea the best way of going about that.
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But today at Mommy & Me swim class, some girls were talking about blogging and it got me thinking about how much I missed it and how much encouragement I have been missing by not getting online and following my boggy friends out there! So please forgive me.
With that being said, I'm not going to be able to remember much about his 4th month b/c I didn't write any of it down. Now I have an ongoing monthly list in my iPhone that I use to jot down any new stuff he does so I don't forget to blog about it. I've said it before and I'll say it again: my blog is more of a journal for myself than for anyone else. And I would love to print it someday but have no idea the best way of going about that.
This is how he likes to sleep. All spread out!!
Dylan started sitting up more...but he was pretty wobbly!
First slumber party! Dylan shared his bed with Beckett while we had a garage sale one day.
This is also the same day we spotted his bottom two teeth starting to show through. The next day we had a pretty fussy guy on our hands. Dealing with teething-Dylan was quite different than dealing with non-teething-Dylan. Much more fussy. He got congestion with them but never a fever. He also had trouble sleeping and so that was fun to be waking up every couple of hours again.
After a walk with mommy, daddy, and duke man
This was a long story that involved needing to air out his bottom area!
I pinned him into a cloth diaper and put a pad of towels underneath him and laid him in his infant positioner. This is how I found him, just smiling away!
Such a great smiler!
We went to the doctor for his 4 month well visit and he was 18lbs 10oz (94th percentile) and 25 and 3/4 inches long (52%). Big boy still! The doctor told us we could go ahead and start trying solid foods since he seemed interested in foods we were eating and can grab and put things in his mouth well. Also since he's so healthy and thriving with his breastfeeding. But I had it in my mind that we would exclusively breastfeed until 6 months, so I decided that we wouldn't start trying to introduce solids until we got to 5 months and then only in moderation to get him used to the newness of it.
He loved rolling on his tummy but couldn't roll back as well. He could do it, but just didn't do it very often. He started sleeping on his tummy a lot this month.
He loved rolling on his tummy but couldn't roll back as well. He could do it, but just didn't do it very often. He started sleeping on his tummy a lot this month.
As I mentioned before, his sleep pattern got interrupted at the end of this month due to his teeth coming in. Ugh. Also, pacifiers became much more important to him! He learned how to manipulate his paci with his hands to turn it backward and gnaw on it a bit and also move it around and rub on his gums. Also with him being more fussy, he really liked having it to self-soothe. We still tried to keep paci use to bed or overly-tired situations.
I started working more often, adding a second day to my schedule and thankfully I had my mom and dad to help me. Ryan's stepmom and mom watched him some too.
I started working more often, adding a second day to my schedule and thankfully I had my mom and dad to help me. Ryan's stepmom and mom watched him some too.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Jumpin' Man
It's so fun to watch this guy grow and learn new things.
Last week Poppy taught Dylan how to jump and he's starting to get the hang of it!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, April 28, 2011
4th Month (will add pics later!!)
Each month just gets more and more fun! Dylan turned 3 months and hands were STILL a big deal! Hands in the mouth, sucking on fingers to soothe himself when he is in his crib, hands reaching to grab everything, hannndddss!
He learned to YELL WHILE TALKING. No screaming per se, but definite yelling!
Mommy neglected tummy time often this month, so no huge advances; but he got really good at rolling from side to side while he was on his back. He also started getting mobile with his scooting from side to side and backwards while on his back. He got so strong, sometimes lurching forward while on his tummy by pushing with his legs. We just have to get those arms involved now!
Feet were definitely up up and away and almost in the mouth. He loves to be "standing up" in your lap (which he's loved since he was about a month old), but now he's holding his own pretty much the entire time. He started to love his Exersaucer and his Jumperoo (not jumping much yet, but getting there). Learning cause and effect while he played in those was like a light bulb coming on in his little brain!
Dylan continued to learn to perfect his smile. Mommy still calls him "Smiler." Smiles in the morning when he wakes up. Smiles at night when we put him in his crib! He started laughing a lot too. Giggles still hung around, but he was all about the belly laugh this month. Tickle spots, doing airplane, and swooping him around would bring laughing fits!
He made the big boy transition from his bassinet in Mommy & Daddy's room to his crib in his room. It was a little rough at first since he liked the snuggly-ness of the bassinet, but he soon learned to sprawl himself out and started sleeping with his hands behind his head! So funny. We cut out most night time feedings (all but our 4am feeding) and we got on a nice night time sleep schedule (7pm-7am). Naps became more regular too! Paci stopped being used as much (it wasn't used much anyway), and started to only be used when he was first in his crib (he spit it out within minutes) and when he was over-tired and awaiting bedtime/nap time.
He hovered around 18lbs most of this month. But he looks like he grew longer toward the end of the month. He started the month out in 6 month clothes and ended up in 6-9 mo and 9 month clothing. He even has some 6-12 month items. Oh dear! We have quite the big boy! He was still on a 3-5 hour feeding schedule except for during his night time sleep. I love our Dylan/Squeaker/Dilly Bear/Lovey Buggy...!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Dylan's 3rd Month
I'm a little behind on my postings about Dylan! Here's a summary of his 3rd month in pictures...
Tummy time with my brother Duke. I'm so very strong! I started rolling on my left side!
Being cute! I'm getting to be such a big boy. I follow everyone with my eyes, head, and body. Little things catch my attention now and I turn to look when Daddy comes in the room.
Hands! Hands are my absolute FAVORITE thing. I learned how to put them straight into my mouth first. Then I started using them to pick up things that I want! Mommy had to go buy me some yummy soft toys.
Sitting up! A nice friend gave us their Bumbo seat and I rocked it from the get go! This is a pic of my first time in it. It helped me strengthen my abs to help me sit up better and roll from side to side.
I also started smiling all the time...like all the time. Such a smiler! I move alot when I smile so its hard for Mommy to snap a good pic of me. I also started exploring more words! I started eating faster (still same time between feedings though), but don't worry, I kept growing!! Everyone keeps calling me a "big boy!"
Tummy time with my brother Duke. I'm so very strong! I started rolling on my left side!
Being cute! I'm getting to be such a big boy. I follow everyone with my eyes, head, and body. Little things catch my attention now and I turn to look when Daddy comes in the room.
Hands! Hands are my absolute FAVORITE thing. I learned how to put them straight into my mouth first. Then I started using them to pick up things that I want! Mommy had to go buy me some yummy soft toys.
Sitting up! A nice friend gave us their Bumbo seat and I rocked it from the get go! This is a pic of my first time in it. It helped me strengthen my abs to help me sit up better and roll from side to side.
I also started smiling all the time...like all the time. Such a smiler! I move alot when I smile so its hard for Mommy to snap a good pic of me. I also started exploring more words! I started eating faster (still same time between feedings though), but don't worry, I kept growing!! Everyone keeps calling me a "big boy!"
Monday, March 14, 2011
Hello!
Is it me you're looking for? ;)
I'm such a blogger slacker lately! I feel like I'm regaining my mind though, so bear with me as I feel like things change each week (for the better).
First things first. I finally fixed my background. I was tinkering with it one day and had to get up and do baby things real fast...never to return to fixing what I had messed up until weeks had passed. Oh well. It looks nicer now!
I also think I'm going to do set a goal for monthly Dylan updates from now on. If I post more, then more power to me. I'm hoping to post more than just one post a month though!
I've started back at work since I last posted. I don't remember if I mentioned my work plan in previous posts, so I'll recap: I quit my full-time job at Nexus (the inpatient substance abuse rehab), and I'm focusing my efforts on building my private practice up to more of a regular part-time job.
I was doing play therapy and individual therapy at Allen Counseling Associates (ACA) approximately 2-4 hours per week while I was still working at Nexus. But now I would like to build my hours at ACA to 10-20 hours per week, starting with one night, and building to an additional day in the office or more. It is nice to be able to make my own schedule and stay at home with Dylan still.
However, I will still be doing PRN (as needed) work for Nexus, filling in for counselors when they are out a couple days to a week at a time. This is good money at an hourly rate! So a couple of weeks ago, I filled in for a week for one of the counselors who was out. It was nice getting my brain back in counseling mode/adult world...but it was definitely hard being away from Dylan for extended periods at a time.
Dylan about to wake up from his nap and I still have some more stuff to do on the computer so I better get going! I'll try to post some updated pics of Dylan from my phone later (since it seems like all my good pics are on my iPhone these days).
I'm such a blogger slacker lately! I feel like I'm regaining my mind though, so bear with me as I feel like things change each week (for the better).
First things first. I finally fixed my background. I was tinkering with it one day and had to get up and do baby things real fast...never to return to fixing what I had messed up until weeks had passed. Oh well. It looks nicer now!
I also think I'm going to do set a goal for monthly Dylan updates from now on. If I post more, then more power to me. I'm hoping to post more than just one post a month though!
I've started back at work since I last posted. I don't remember if I mentioned my work plan in previous posts, so I'll recap: I quit my full-time job at Nexus (the inpatient substance abuse rehab), and I'm focusing my efforts on building my private practice up to more of a regular part-time job.
I was doing play therapy and individual therapy at Allen Counseling Associates (ACA) approximately 2-4 hours per week while I was still working at Nexus. But now I would like to build my hours at ACA to 10-20 hours per week, starting with one night, and building to an additional day in the office or more. It is nice to be able to make my own schedule and stay at home with Dylan still.
However, I will still be doing PRN (as needed) work for Nexus, filling in for counselors when they are out a couple days to a week at a time. This is good money at an hourly rate! So a couple of weeks ago, I filled in for a week for one of the counselors who was out. It was nice getting my brain back in counseling mode/adult world...but it was definitely hard being away from Dylan for extended periods at a time.
Dylan about to wake up from his nap and I still have some more stuff to do on the computer so I better get going! I'll try to post some updated pics of Dylan from my phone later (since it seems like all my good pics are on my iPhone these days).
Friday, February 18, 2011
Week 9
Dylan at 8 weeks was quite the ride. Hands continued to be a fun thing for him, but less in his mouth and more grabbing things. Not sure if he knows he's grabbing them, but he's working that grip and open hand!
At the beginning of his 8th week he got his first cold. Boo! It started on Friday when I was helping out my friend Amy by giving tours of her model home & Dylan was with me. Ryan had just left the model to go work on his truck down the street. Dylan was waking up from a nap in his carrier (we had just got him out of the car), and he had a lot more bubbles coming of his mouth as usual...all of a sudden he started gagging and coughing. He had gagged and coughed in the past, but this time it was deep and wheezing and there was obvious fear in his eyes. Of course I was freaking out on the inside, but trying to remain calm on the outside because I knew he was still breathing (luckily I had just brushed up on my reading about first aide and CPR the day before). I called Ryan to have him come back immediately and then I called the doctor because he would stop and then start up again a min or two later and this went on for 5-10 min. During that time it also sounded like he had some congestion when he breathed, so I was guessing that he was coming down with something so I'm glad I called the pediatrician. They told us to just come in to ease our minds before the weekend. Alas, it was only the beginnings of a cold and we were told to do saline and suction in his nose. He's been a champ through it all. Got a little fussy and more tired through the worst of it, but is hanging in there now. With the humidity the past few days the remainder of the congestion has been breaking up, so that makes for some fun wet-sounding coughs and what we call the "gremlin" breathing (where his nose is all stopped up).
The end of his 8th week we went to the pediatrician for his 2 month visit and his first round of vaccinations. He weighed in at 15lbs 3oz (oh my) which puts him above the 97th percentile! He's in 85th percentile for height and 75th for head circumference. I'm glad he's got some length to go with that chunk...so he doesn't look obese! He looks like my perfect angel baby! He did good for his shots and the oral vaccine they give. He's been on infant tylenol (off brand...apparently Tylenol brand got recalled recently) until recently per Dr's encouragement since low-grade fever, pain, and fussiness are common afterwards. He's been a little bit more needy with wanting to be held all the time and if he's not sleeping all day then he's awake all day and fighting sleep being a fussy monster! This is wearing mommy and daddy out since we are not used to a crying fussy baby. He has the best temperament and usually you just give him what he needs and he is content, so this is a change for us.
Of course since his fussiness is going on day 4 now, I'm starting to get worried that the vaccinations have changed him and worried about autism (even though I don't know if I necessarily believe there is a link). This is just satan trying to get a foothold in my mind, so I'm praying for peace and trusting the Lord for his provision and healing Dylan of the remnants of his cold and that the side effects from his shots will subside soon. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
At the beginning of his 8th week he got his first cold. Boo! It started on Friday when I was helping out my friend Amy by giving tours of her model home & Dylan was with me. Ryan had just left the model to go work on his truck down the street. Dylan was waking up from a nap in his carrier (we had just got him out of the car), and he had a lot more bubbles coming of his mouth as usual...all of a sudden he started gagging and coughing. He had gagged and coughed in the past, but this time it was deep and wheezing and there was obvious fear in his eyes. Of course I was freaking out on the inside, but trying to remain calm on the outside because I knew he was still breathing (luckily I had just brushed up on my reading about first aide and CPR the day before). I called Ryan to have him come back immediately and then I called the doctor because he would stop and then start up again a min or two later and this went on for 5-10 min. During that time it also sounded like he had some congestion when he breathed, so I was guessing that he was coming down with something so I'm glad I called the pediatrician. They told us to just come in to ease our minds before the weekend. Alas, it was only the beginnings of a cold and we were told to do saline and suction in his nose. He's been a champ through it all. Got a little fussy and more tired through the worst of it, but is hanging in there now. With the humidity the past few days the remainder of the congestion has been breaking up, so that makes for some fun wet-sounding coughs and what we call the "gremlin" breathing (where his nose is all stopped up).
The end of his 8th week we went to the pediatrician for his 2 month visit and his first round of vaccinations. He weighed in at 15lbs 3oz (oh my) which puts him above the 97th percentile! He's in 85th percentile for height and 75th for head circumference. I'm glad he's got some length to go with that chunk...so he doesn't look obese! He looks like my perfect angel baby! He did good for his shots and the oral vaccine they give. He's been on infant tylenol (off brand...apparently Tylenol brand got recalled recently) until recently per Dr's encouragement since low-grade fever, pain, and fussiness are common afterwards. He's been a little bit more needy with wanting to be held all the time and if he's not sleeping all day then he's awake all day and fighting sleep being a fussy monster! This is wearing mommy and daddy out since we are not used to a crying fussy baby. He has the best temperament and usually you just give him what he needs and he is content, so this is a change for us.
Of course since his fussiness is going on day 4 now, I'm starting to get worried that the vaccinations have changed him and worried about autism (even though I don't know if I necessarily believe there is a link). This is just satan trying to get a foothold in my mind, so I'm praying for peace and trusting the Lord for his provision and healing Dylan of the remnants of his cold and that the side effects from his shots will subside soon. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Check out the new AND old posts
I've been "catching up" on my blogging lately and have added some new pictures & details to the weekly Dylan blogs. They are still in order for the most part, but for some reason week 3 got moved up to the top whenever I added pics.
Feel free to scroll down and check them out!!
More new posts to come!
Feel free to scroll down and check them out!!
More new posts to come!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Breastfeeding Help
When I was having some difficulties with overproduction, a lactation consultant from my church helped me out and also referred me to read some articles from the website kellymom.com.
I think it is a great resource to have for moms. Just thought I'd share!
I think it is a great resource to have for moms. Just thought I'd share!
Week 3 of Dylan!
At the beginning of his third week, Dylan started to hold his eye contact a little more steady. When people held him and I spoke, they said he would look around for me. He started holding up his head a lot better too! The rest of his umbilical cord also fell off, leaving only a tiny speck attached! I was wondering if it would ever come off. He also started doing what I call "jumpin man" froggy-like leg movements in the mornings while on the changing table. This has become one of his favorite time and places to hang out and be awake and play. Dylan and I started to get into more of a routine as Ryan went back to working all day. We also started to get more attached to one another.
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| First time at Watermark. He did so well. |
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| Big belly boy on New Year's Eve |
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| Snuggle Boy |
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| Daddy & Dylan's favorie activity...sleeping! |
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| Love this little yawner |
Amazon Mom
No, I'm not referring to myself as some sort of amazing beauty of a super-mom. I'm talking about a way to get your diapers, wipes, and other baby items delivered to your doorstep for prices that rival/beat Costco and with free shipping. I've heard about this from a couple of moms. My supervisor at my private practice in Allen swears by it.
You get 30% off most items and free 2-day shipping (see terms). We haven't needed any diapers yet becuase so many people bought us size 1 and size 1-2 (yes, that's a size apparently). But apparently Dylan is outgrowing the 1-2's (he's a chunk for 8 weeks) so we now have a diaper dillemma...we have to BUY diapers. Boo. I'm still in denial about what size he needs now; since we have SO MANY size 1-2 diapers left, I'm still putting him in them for as long as I can (which will be like today) and just changing his diaper more often so we don't get frequent leaks (which is the first sign that you probably need to go up in diaper size). So I've ordered some size 2's and we are going to see how those do tomorrow when they arrive. When we run out of the Costco-sized box of wipes I will put them on auto-ship as well.
Let me know if you have used this Amazon service before and what you think of it! If not, check it out! www.Amazon.com/mom
You get 30% off most items and free 2-day shipping (see terms). We haven't needed any diapers yet becuase so many people bought us size 1 and size 1-2 (yes, that's a size apparently). But apparently Dylan is outgrowing the 1-2's (he's a chunk for 8 weeks) so we now have a diaper dillemma...we have to BUY diapers. Boo. I'm still in denial about what size he needs now; since we have SO MANY size 1-2 diapers left, I'm still putting him in them for as long as I can (which will be like today) and just changing his diaper more often so we don't get frequent leaks (which is the first sign that you probably need to go up in diaper size). So I've ordered some size 2's and we are going to see how those do tomorrow when they arrive. When we run out of the Costco-sized box of wipes I will put them on auto-ship as well.
Let me know if you have used this Amazon service before and what you think of it! If not, check it out! www.Amazon.com/mom
Nicknames
You know mommies are constantly making up new names for their little ones...and I am no exception!
Dylan
Dylan Wayne
Dylan Bear
Dilly
Dilly Bear
Dilly Willy the Penguin
Dill
Dill Pickle
Squeaker
Stinky
Stinky Pants
Stinky Pants McGee
Mr. Poopy Pants
Slobber Man
Slobbersaurus
Froggy
Frog Man
Jumpin Man
I'm sure there are many more I'm forgetting...but this a start!!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Week 8 (7weeks old)
This week he found his hands...and stuck them right into his mouth! He loved them. I was mortified! I would try to keep them away from his face, but they always found their way back.
He really started to whip his head around to look at things too. Dylan did better at practicing naps flat on his back. He's getting used to it now. He also started saying some more fun "words" (sounds). For a week now he's been doing this thing where he will stare at your while you're talking and move his mouth and his tounge around trying to make "words" come out. I love it so much. Super cute. He made the "da" sound this week, and I swear he said "HI!"...it was loud! He's also geting very strong! I can't believe how strong his legs and arms are.
Duke man had a seizure...his third one, so we were ready...but his first one since Dylan was born. We all handled it well! (I'll tell you more about Duke's epilepsy later). We had lots of ice and snow this week, but got out a little and then when it was safe, we drove to visit our friends Jeff & Charis in Tyler for a night. We went to buy them a congrats present for finding out they are having a little girl and found out how much easier we have it dressing a little boy. All those clothes and bow options...and having to match! I'm thankful for a boy first! Here he is in his little builder outfit. Such a little man now.
Enjoying the snow!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
He really started to whip his head around to look at things too. Dylan did better at practicing naps flat on his back. He's getting used to it now. He also started saying some more fun "words" (sounds). For a week now he's been doing this thing where he will stare at your while you're talking and move his mouth and his tounge around trying to make "words" come out. I love it so much. Super cute. He made the "da" sound this week, and I swear he said "HI!"...it was loud! He's also geting very strong! I can't believe how strong his legs and arms are.
Duke man had a seizure...his third one, so we were ready...but his first one since Dylan was born. We all handled it well! (I'll tell you more about Duke's epilepsy later). We had lots of ice and snow this week, but got out a little and then when it was safe, we drove to visit our friends Jeff & Charis in Tyler for a night. We went to buy them a congrats present for finding out they are having a little girl and found out how much easier we have it dressing a little boy. All those clothes and bow options...and having to match! I'm thankful for a boy first! Here he is in his little builder outfit. Such a little man now.
Enjoying the snow!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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